Cut-out



sept.- 2", 1924. Y 1,507,193

. H. E. MAY ET AL Filed sept. 9, i922 Patented Sept. 2, 1924.

UNITED STATES HENRY E.MAY AND ROBERT YW. SELLMAN, 0F DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

cur-OUT.

Application led September 9, 1922. Serial No. 587,171.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that we, HENRY E. MAY and ROBERT W. SELLMAN, citizens of theUnited States, residing at Detroit, in the county of Wayne and State ofMichigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cut-Outs,of which the following is a specification, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings.

This invention relates to improvements in cut-outs for the electricalcircuits of internal combustion engines.

An important object of the invention is to provide a circuit breakerwhich automatically disconnects the circuit of the engine from itssource when the engine is stopped and which connects the circuit of ytheengine with its source immediately upon actuation of the engine to startthe same.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of thischaracter which is operated by the suction created within the cylindersof" the engine during operation thereof.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a device of thischaracter which is extremely simple in its construction, can be madevery small so that it occupies but a small space and which is capable ofapplication directly to the intake manifold of an engine.

These and other objects we attain by the construction and arrangementshown in the accompanyin drawings wherein for the purpose of ilustration is shown a preferred embodiment of our invention and whereinlike reference characters designate like parts throughout.

In the drawings Y Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view taken through acut-out constructed in accordance with my invention showing the positionassumed by the parts during the operation of the engine; and

Figure 2 is.y a similar view showing the posit1on assumed by the partswhen the engine is stopped.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, the numeral 10'indicates a body portion preferably cylindrical in form and having aninternal bore 11 opening through its upper end. The lower end of thebody portion 10 has formed therein a port 12 opening through the bottomof the body portion and communicating with the bore 11. This lower endof the body portion is adapted, as at 13, vfor engagement Vin an openingformed through the wall of the intake manifold 14 of an internalcombustion engine. Ihe upper end of the body portion 10 has its wallexteriorly screw-threaded, as indicated at 15, for the reception of aninternally threaded iange 16 of a closure cap 17. The cap has formedtherein centrally a bore 18, the lower end of which is screwthreaded forthe reception of an annular spring supporting ring 19 upon which thelower end of a spring 20 is seated, the upper end of this springabutting a check ball 21 and forcing the same into engagement with aseat 22 formed at the junction of the upper end of the bore 18 with anoutlet port 23 opening through the wall of the cap.

Slidably mounted in the lower end of the bore 11 of the body portion 10is a piston 24 having a depending guide skirt 25, the engagement ofwhich with the walls of the bore 11 is such that it will permit a verysmall amount of air to leak thereby. Formed in the lower face of thepiston 24 and in the upper face of the lower wall of the chamber 10 areopposed spring seats 26 and 27 in which are seated the ends of a spring28 acting to force the piston 24 upwardly within the bore 11. llt willbe seen that the chamber 10 taken together with its cap 17 forms acylinder having a piston operating therein and provided in its oppositeend walls with ports, one of which permits the entrance of air andprevents withdrawal and the opposite end of which permits of withdrawalof air from within the cylinder, means also being provided for urgingthe piston toward that end of the cylinder through which the incomingair is introduced.

The numeral 29 designates contacts having stems 30 extended through thewall of the chamber 10 and insulated therefrom, as indicated at 31, theupper ends of the stems having nuts 32 mounted thereon and formingbinding posts for the attachment of lead wires of the circuit to becontrolled.

Mounted centrally in the upper surface of its ends engagin the disk andits central portion aperture for the reception of the reduced portion 35of the bushing. Between the upper end of the bushing and the head of thepedestal screw 33 an insulatory washer p 38 is disposed.

In the operation of the'cut-out, when the engine is being started eitherby crank or starting motor, the suction created within the cylinderscreates a vacuum below the piston 24 and the piston is drawn downwardlyagainst the action of its spring 28, the ball 21 unseating against theaction of its spring 20 to permit air to enter above the piston. Whenthe piston reaches the lower 'limit of its travel, the disk 36 isbrought into engagement with the contacts 29, electrically connectingthe same, the spring 37 permitting a slight upward movement of thedisk36 upon its mounting and insuring the tensioned engagement of thisldisk with its contact. Duringthe period when the piston is in thatposition shown in Figure 2, when the piston reaches the lower'limit ofits travel, the ball 21 will be seated by the action of its springforming an air tight chamber above the.

piston and preventing .the return of the same to normal position,particularly in View of the fact that this p-iston is at all .timesacted upon by the suction created within the engine and accordingly atall times during the operation of the engine the disk is held inengagement with the contacts. -When the engine is stopped the piston 24will be. slightly lifted by its spring 28 and -the contacts accordinglydiscon,. nected, eliminating possibility of current leakage from thebattery during periods when the engine is not in operation. During thisupward movement of the piston under the influence of the spring 28, the

movement of the piston is retarded by the fact that the chamb'er abovethe same is air-tight and accordingly this movement is slow, 'permittingthe engine to completely stop before the break of contact is made.During this slow upward movement the spring 37 maintains the contact 36in engagement with the contacts 29 for a remote y period of the movementand until the lcontact member 36 reaches the shoulder formed by thereduction of the member 34.

A deviceconstructed as above s'et forth may be made very small in sizewithout in any manner detracting from the operation thereof and it isbelieved that it will be obvious that such a device is particularly welladapted for the purpose for which it is intended in view of the factthat it may be employed to break the circuit without depending upon theusual hand operated switch, the operation of which is often neglectedand which when in o erative position often results in current osses fromthe battery at periods when the engine is idle. It will furthermore beobvious that the construction as hereinbefore set forth is capableofisome change and modification without depa-rting from the spirit ofour invention and we accordingly do not limit ourselves theretoexcept ashereinafter claimed.

We claim 1. In a cut-out of the character described, a cylinder, portsformed in opposite end walls of the cylinder7 means coacting with one ofsaid ports for preventing withdrawal of air from within the cylinder,the other of said ports being adapted for connection 'for the source ofsuction a piston arranged within the cylinder and loosely fitting-thesame, means normally forcing said piston toward the end of the cylinderin which the last named port is disposed, contacts extended into andinsulated from the walls of the cylinder, and a connecting member forsaid-contacts carried by said piston and engaged with said contacts uponmovement of the piston in a direction away from the end of the cylinderprovided with the last named port.

2. In a cut-out of the character described,

a cylinder, ports formed in opposite end Walls of the cylinder, meanscoacting with one of said ports for preventing withdrawal of air fromwithin the cylinder the other of said ports being adapted for connectionfor the source of suction, a piston arranged within thecylinder andloosely fitting the same, means normally forcing said piston toward theend of the cylinder in which the last named port is disposed, contactsextended into and insulated from the walls of the cylinder, and-aconnecting member for said contacts carried by said piston and engagedwith said contacts upon movement of the piston in a direction away fromthe end of the cylinder provided with the la@ named port, the.connection of said connecting member and said piston including amounting for said connecting member carried by the piston and permittinglimited relative movement of the connecting member and piston.

3. In a cut-out of the character described, a cylinder, ports Vformed inopposite end walls of the cylinder. means coacting with the end of thecylinder provided with the mounting resiliently urging said connectinglast named port, the connection of said conmember toward said piston.necting member and said piston including a In testimony whereof wehereunto aHiX 10 mounting for said connecting member ca-roui signatures.

5 ried by the piston and permitting limited relative movement of theconnecting mem- HENRY E. MAY.

ber and piston, and means carried by said ROBERT W. SELLMAN.

